Jimmer Fredette left the Pepsi Center court after BYU's win over Gonzaga in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Might he return to the Can in a Nuggets uniform?

In 2009, the Nuggets bucked a trend of not selecting a player in the draft or trading away their pick with acquisition of Ty Lawson. It was not a lottery pick. This year the NBA conducted its draft lottery tonight, a proceeding the Nuggets haven’t been part of since 2003 when they won the third pick, which turned into Carmelo Anthony.

This year, the Nuggets have the 22nd pick in the draft and potentially have needs all over the court. It will be interesting to see what direction the new regime under the direction of Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke chooses to take. No matter what happens, it may give a glimpse into just what the duo may be thinking about where they want to take the roster.

For the sake of this exercise we’ll assume the Nuggets will select a player. It’s not a terribly deep draft, but there could be a diamond in the rough or two available when the Nuggets pick rolls around. Who might be there? Here’s a snapshot of who might be available and of interest to the Nuggets.

“I think the last 20 games of an NBA season is basically the beginning of playoff basketball. I’m very confident we’ll get to play playoff basketball and there are some guys in that locker room that have never been on a playoff court. All of that stuff is good. It’s fun. There’s a freshness and an energy between Josh (Kroenke), Masai (Ujiri) and I that hasn’t been here before. Hopefully the fans and the city of Denver will fall in love with the team as much as I’m in love with the situation.”

On his point guards:

“Everybody says we need to separate Raymond and Ty, but I think I like playing basketball more than I like playing positions. I like guys who know how to play basketball. Those guys are very good at playing together. I’m not going to tilt anything. Right now, we need both of them to perform at a high level. And as much as people say (that you need) size, I think they create many problems on the court (on defense).”

Leon Rose, the agent from Creative Artists Agency who represents Carmelo Anthony, spent countless hours on the phone with Nuggets executives during the trade process.

On Thursday, I caught up with Rose on the phone. He was appreciative of the Denver front office executives, who were put in the unenviable situation of having to trade their best player – because their best player wanted to go to New York.

“On a personal note, I feel fortunate to have worked with them, and I think that if it was with others, I don’t know if this would have gotten done,” said Rose, who helped get his client to the Knicks.

He’s definitely the Ringo Starr of the four Knicks who came to Denver, but Timofey Mozgov, the Nuggets hope, can become a factor. Coach George Karl believes that he will be a starter in this league within the next five years. Denver executive Masai Ujiri believes Mozgov has a big upside because, unlike some 7-footers who are forced by adults to play basketball, Mozgov seems to have a genuine enjoyment of playing and developing.

The 7-1 rookie from Russia played in 34 games for New York, actually starting 14, and averaged 4.0 points per game and 3.1 rebounds in 13.5 minutes.

It’s unclear how many minutes he’ll play with Denver – which has Kenyon Martin, Nene and Chris Andersen in the low-post rotation – but he will definitely get some playing time. One Nugget who hopes to benefit from the 7-footer is Nene, who has played a lot of center in his day, but now can play power forward and have the big Russian do some of the low-post dirty work.

Everyone will remember Monday’s trade as the “Carmelo trade,” but here in Denver – especially in Park Hill – fans will also remember it as the trade that sent the hometown hero away from his hometown.

Chauncey Billups called me today from New York City, explaining his swirling emotions after being traded with Anthony from the Nuggets to the Knicks.

“It’s weird, you know what I’m saying,” said Billups, who hoped to retire as a Nugget and then work in the Nuggets front office. “It’s kind of how this game goes, and I think people understand that part of the game – it’s a business. It’s just weird, it’s crazy.”

Billups moved his family home in 2008, upon being traded from Detroit to Denver. But on Monday, he had to tell his family he was heading to New York.

Nuggets coach George Karl spoke to the media for 23 minutes today, sharing his thoughts on the big trade and the future of his team. Here are some of the highlights.

“I might be crazy, but I think we can make the playoffs and also be a threat to win in the playoffs,” Karl said. “I’m sorry, I just think our guys are good enough to grow up fast, learn quick and get excited about playing the game, as where what we had been doing had more frustration to it than excitement to it.

“Part of this game is intensity, excitement and enthusiasm, and a part of team is camaraderie and togetherness, and I think we have time to get that stuff on the court – and also put a pretty good talent product on the court.

The biggest irritant to any player in a trade-talk scenario is not knowing what is happening.

So the player will call their agent and whoever else they need to talk to in order to get enough information to stay on par – or ahead – of the game. A player that is surprised by new info by the media or someone not connected to the process makes that individual very unhappy.

That has not been the case in Denver, where Carmelo Anthony says he meets often with Nuggets executives Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke, who are constantly in his ear about developments in his status with the Nuggets.

Asked if he ever has to go to them when he wants an update, Anthony shook his head.

Carmelo Anthony on the bench during the fourth quarter in a loss to the Spurs on Sunday. (AP)

SAN ANTONIO – It’s almost fitting that news broke of an impending meeting between the Nets and Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony in the city of the Alamo.

Consider this the Nuggets’ and Nets’ last stand. They can only hope it ends better than that did for the Texian Army in 1836.

Anthony doesn’t want to sign an extension with the Nets. If he did, this teeth-pulling exercise probably wouldn’t be necessary and he would have done so long ago. Anthony’s reluctance to give a definitive verdict — or the two organizations’ reluctance to accept one to the negative – has kept the Nets portion of the trade saga going. This is probably the week we reach a final ruling one way or another on a trade that involves Anthony and 13 or more other players, one of which is Chauncey Billups who’d rather stay in Denver.

Though they are now thousands of miles apart, Chris Bosh and Masai Ujiri have remained good friends.

The two were both employees for the Toronto Raptors last season; Bosh a player, Ujiri an executive. Ujiri, then Toronto’s assistant general manager, witnessed from arm’s length much of what is happening to him up close this year in the general manager’s seat in Denver. The two instances have their differences, but both involve a superstar that isn’t satisfied with where he is (or was) and desired a change.

This Nuggets just released that Carmelo Anthony has been excused from Wednesday night’s game in San Antonio due to a death in his family.

“Our entire organization supports Carmelo during this difficult time for him and his family,” Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “It is heartbreaking news, particularly during the holiday season.”

The Nuggets play at the Spurs — the team that beat Denver in a controversial finish on Thursday.

The team announced contract extension negotiations with coach George Karl today, but the question remains: How much longer does he want to coach?

Asked that question Karl said he’s a “a three-year guy.”

“I’d be 63 then,” Karl said. “If I want to do it after that, then we talk again maybe. I think I have the passion and the bottle of energy to try to keep this Broadway show going.”

As for the organization’s strong willingness to re-sign him for the near future, preferably three years by Karl’s timetable, the coach said “I think we’re all excited. We’ve had a good run here. We’d like another shot at trying to get to the top of the mountain. (Executive vice president of basketball operations) Masai (Ujiri) and (team president) Josh (Kroenke) have done a great job. I’ve always enjoyed my time with Stan (Kroenke). I think the team is in a good place.”

Last season, Karl signed a one-year extension that expires at the end of this year. In his seventh season with the Nuggets, he’s compiled a 289-178 record with playoff appearances in every season, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2009.

And he has big plans in the near future for these Nuggets.

“We’re not a top five team in the NBA,” he said, “but I don’t think we’re that far from being one.”

No, Carmelo Anthony is still looking elsewhere, but coach George Karl wants to end his career in Denver – and steps are being taken to make this happen. Karl, his representation and the Nuggets have begun preliminary contract extension talks with the coach, and it appears that it would be a multi-year deal. The 59-year-old Karl, in the last year on his contract, has publicly said for years that he wants to retire as the Denver coach – and retire in Denver.

“I think this is a situation where George wants to be in Denver and the Nuggets want him in Denver,” said Bret Adams, Karl’s agent and longtime friend. “We’ve certainly had those conversations about the directions that everybody wants to go and we’ll start exchanging proposals next week.”

Adams has been impressed by new Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri, who will be representing the Nuggets in the talks.

“I have great respect for Masai and the way he’s handled himself since he come on board,” Adams said. “And I look forward to working with him in doing the extension.”

The Nuggets sent a press release to the media, explaining that contract talks were underway – a rare divulging and thus a positive sign that Karl could get locked in for future seasons.

“We’ve said it from Day 1 that George is our guy and we want him here for a long time,” Ujiri said in the release from nuggets.com. “George is a future Hall-of-Famer. He has earned a contract extension.”

(Knicks championship contenders?) They have some things going for them. Looks like they are trying to figure out what kind of team they are.

(Last time playing against Knicks?) We play them next month, right? I’ll see them in the Garden again.

(Thoughts on possibly playing for them?) I never thought about that tonight. Not once. That wasn’t even on my mind.

(Knicks players recruiting you?) No, not at all. They are trying to win, they competed hard tonight. They fought back, but there was none of that going on.

(Your desire to play with high-level stars) To be honest with you, we always joked about that. Especially, on the 2008 [Olympic] team. On the bus to and from practice we always joked about playing with each other. If we could, we would have all 12 guys from that team play with each other. We always joked about that, but it was nothing more than that. I think Lebron and them took it to a different level. They followed through with it.

(What would you say to New York fans who think you have a serious chance of becoming a Knick?) I can’t really say nothing to them. I have to focus on what is going on here in Denver, right now. For me to send a message to the fans in New York right now I can’t do that.

(Knicks being a team in free agency next summer to consider?) I don’t know; I am focused on right now. If it comes to it at that point in time, I will look at my options.

(Handling free agency situation different than Lebron) I saw the backlash that he got and is going through right now. It is unfortunate, but I am pretty sure he is content with the decision he made. Me knowing him the way I know him, I don’t think he has any regrets with the decision that he made. As long as he is happy and as long as his family is happy, that is all that matters for him.

(Where do you expect to be the day after the trade deadline?) I don’t know, you guys have to ask Masai that question. If you want to know anything about the trade you have to ask the front office.

(What will it take to sign that deal on the table?) Masai and I are talking. We have great conversation going back and forth. He understands. My options are open.

(What needs to be shown to you?) That is for me and Masai.

(Harrington says that if he had that kind of money sitting on the table he couldn’t sleep at night) I sleep good at night, I am with my family. I sleep good at night. I is not about the money.

(How much is your decision about family?) I want to make my family happy. I want them to be comfortable; whether it is here or whether it is somewhere else. If the family is not right, nothing is right.”

After tonight’s big win against the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony was asked about the Nuggets front office shakeup. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke and executive VP of basketball ops Masai Ujiri got rid of longtime front-office adviser Bret Bearup, who had been helpful in many past trades – and had his hand in cooking up recent deals for Melo.

Asked about the Nuggets getting rid of Bearup from the front office, Anthony said, “That’s a step. I think that was a big step, not just for Josh (Kroenke) and Masai (Ujiri) but for the whole organization – for the whole league to know what they’re doing here, to make progress. Positive (step). They made some changes obviously for the better of the organization. That’s their decision.”

With Carmelo Anthony wanting out of Denver (even though George Karl is trying to convince him to stay), fans often point to the Dikembe Mutombo situation — the Nuggets didn’t trade him during the 1995-96 season, and that summer, they lost him for nothing, when the big guy signed with Atlanta.

With opening night tonight, Mutombo is actually back in Denver — he is close friends with Nuggets exec Masai Ujiri and the famous shot-blocker will be introduced before the game.

And so, we asked him a bunch of questions about Melo.

First off, Mutombo said that “My decision leaving the Nuggets was based on the organization not saying they had the cap room to sign me.”

Asked — had they had the money, would he had stayed, Mount Mutombo said: “Of course!”

LOS ANGELES — Masai Ujiri has bolstered his front office by bringing in a fellow named Pete D’Alessandro, an attorney who will serve as an advisor to the executive vice president of basketball operations.

D’Alessandro worked as an assistant general manager and director of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors from 2004-08.

The St. Johns grad worked with numerous player-related matters in Golden State, notably contracts, salary-cap analysis and the tricky Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Before his time with the Warriors, he worked as a business manager for numerous NBA players. D’Alessandro picked up his law degree at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.